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Bhojpuri film actor held in Delhi for fake currency racket, vehicle thefts
Police said Mohammad Shahid and his friend, Sayyed Zen Hussain, allegedly cheated people by tricking them into exchanging genuine currency notes with three fake ones of the same denomination after convincing them that they resembled the genuine currency and can be easily used
Two people, including a Bhojpuri film actor who suffered financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been arrested for allegedly running a fake currency racket and vehicle thefts, the Delhi police said. Fake currency notes worth ₹50 lakh have been seized from them, they added.
Police said the two allegedly cheated people by tricking them into exchanging genuine currency notes with three fake ones of the same denomination after convincing them that they resembled the genuine currency and can be easily used. The source of the fake notes is being ascertained, they added.
Deputy police commissioner RP Meena said the Anti-auto Theft Squad caught Mohammad Shahid and Sayyed Zen Hussain from New Friends Colony on Friday night following information that they would come there on a stolen scooter.
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“The two were carrying a bag on their scooter. The bag was opened, and 200 wads of notes were found inside. On verification, the notes were found to be fake,” said Meena. He added Shahid told them he runs a film studio in Delhi’s Hari Nagar Ashram, where editing and portfolio-making are done.
Meena said Shahid told them he has worked in a Bhojpuri movie apart from featuring in Bhojpuri songs on YouTube. “While in the film industry, Shahid came in contact with a conman and started cheating people by exchanging fake notes with genuine notes. During the lockdown, Shahid suffered a huge financial loss and came in contact with Hussain with whom he began stealing two-wheelers.”
The two allegedly on September 28 stole a scooter from Jamia Nagar and began using it for running their fake currency note racket. Meena said Shahid has previously been involved in eight cases of cheating, snatching while Hussain had no previous involvement.